Automatic time switch



Sept. 13, 1.932. v z z 1,877,169

AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH Filed June 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Shee 1 5 T"- 2 F 1 I;2 4 I Q 2 l/ l I HZ q & r a I Fig? 2 gvwento'o yialor-Gonzale Z FiledJune 27. 1931 2 Sheets-Shee 2 Fl'y'7 l/z'clarOonzale z Patented Sept.13, 1932 PATENT OFFICE VICTOR GONZALEZ, OF WINNETKA, ILLINOIS AUTOMATICTIMESW'ITCH Application filed June 27,

The present invention relates to improvements in circuit makers andbreakers and has reference more particularly to a device forautomatically making and breaking the circuit which controls theelectric lights of a show window, the switch being adapted for use tocontrol the electric circuit to any other apparatus.

One of the important objects of the prescut invention is to provide anautomatic time switch that will at all times be positive and efiicientin its operation, the same being adapted for association with aconventional eight-day alarm clock.

A still further object is to provide an automatic electric time switchwhich is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable andfurther well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a conventional clock showing my improvedtime switch associated therewith, the casing for the switch mechanismnot being, illustrated;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken approximately on the line2-2 of Figure 1, looking downwardly, for more clearly disclosing thespecific construction of the switch per se;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the switch structure Figure 4 is adetail of the large gear wheel having the cam carried thereon;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the movable contact member;

Figure 6 is a similar view of thestationary contact member; and a Figure7 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 ofFigure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates asuitable base on which is adapt- 1831. Serial No. 547,397.

ed to be supported a conventional eight-day alarm clock denotedgenerally by the numeral 2. The hour shaft of the clock time mechanismis indicated at 8 and secured on the outer extremity of this hour shaftfor rotation therewith is a relatively small gear wheel 4, the samebeing provided with only a single tooth, designated by the numeral 5. Aknurled knob 6 for manually rotating the hour shaft 3 is secured thereoninwardly of the small gear 4.

My improved switch structure includes a frame denoted generally by thenumeral 7, said frame including a pair of panel spaced base strips 8adapted to be secured on the base 1 adjacent the rear face of the alarmclock 2. Extending upwardly from the base strips 8 are the alinedstandards 9 and extending between the spaced uprights or standards 9 isa rotatable shaft 10 carrying a larger gear wheel 11. This gear wheel isprovided with twenty-four teeth for cooperation with the single tooth 5carried by the smaller gear wheel 3 in the manner as is more clearlydisclosed in Figures 3 and 7 of the drawings, and for a purpose to bepresently described. A spring pawl 12 is mounted on the frame structure7 for cooperation with the teeth of the gear wheel 11 to preventrotation of the shaft and the gear wheel 11 in one direction.

Forming a salient part of the present invention is the semi-circular rib13 that is formed on the outer or rear face of the gear wheel 11 andthis rib constitutes what I term a cam, the purpose of which will alsobe hereinafter and more fully described.

Also forming a salient part of my improved switch structure are thestationary and movable contact members 14 and 15, respectively. Thestationary contact member 14 comprises a metallic strip 16 that issecured on the top of a fiber or other insulated block 17 in ahorizontal manner, the free end of the strip 16 terminating in anupstanding finger 18 as is moreclearly shown in Figure 6.

The movable contact member 15 also includes a horizontally disposedspring arm 19 that terminates at one end with the downwardly extendinglug 20, the free end of which is disposed laterally as at 21 for attachment to the top of the insulated block 17. The free end of thespring arm 19 is offset as at 22 for cooperation with the angularlydisposed finger 18 of the stationary contact member 1st. An insulatedpiece of material 23 is attached to one face of the spring arm 19adjacent the linger 22 so as to prevent the metallic cam 13 from comingin contact with the metallic spring arm 19, it being understood, ofcourse, that the contacts are so arranged as to cause the free endportion of the spring arm of the movable contact 15 to be disposedwithin the path of the cam 13 carried by the rotatable gear 11.Normally, the contact fingers 1S and 22 are maintained out of engagementwith each other, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Suitablebinding posts 2a and 25 are associated with the top of the fibreblock 17 for cooperation with the respective contacts and conductorwires are attached to these binding posts in the conventional manner,these conductor wires forming a part of an electric circuit, not shown,which includes a source of supply and the electric lights to becontrolled by my improved switch. Also not shown in the drawings is aprotective casing adapted to be disposed over the switch mechanism.

The operation of my improved time switch may be briefly stated asfollows. Normally, the parts are arranged as shown in the drawings, andthe contacts have their fingers out of engagement with each other. Thetooth 5 on the small gear wheel 4 makes one complete revolution per hourand is adapted to engage with the teeth of the gear wheel 11 havingtwenty-four teeth and representing the twenty-four hours of the day. Nowas the gear at revolves it is out of contact with the gear 11 until thetooth 5 is brought into intermeshing engagement with one of the teeth onthe gear wheel 11 therefore, every time the gear wheel 4: makes onecomplete revolution, the gear wheel 11 will make one-twenty-forirtli ofa complete revolution and as the gear wheel 11 rotates, the cam 13 willbe also moved so that when the cam 13 engages the spring contact arms19, it will forcethe finger22 into engagement with the finger 18 thusclosing the circuit to the electric lights, not shown. The circuit willremain closed until the cam hasmoved out of engagement with the springarm 19 whereupon the resiliency of the spring arm will cause its finger22 to return to its normal position, out of engagement with the finger18, thus breaking the circuit to the electric lights. The constructionwill cause the lights to remain on for a period of twelve hours and alsooff for a like period.

Of course, the length of time that the circuit may remain closed orbroken depends on the length of the semi-circular cam 13 and bylengthening or shortening the cam, the

time for a circuit remaining closed and opened may be varied.

IVhile I have shown the automatic time switch as being particularlyadapted for controlling the circuit to electric lights, the switch isalso capable of use for controlling the circuit to any other electri-a1apparatus that requires periodic operation.

The simplicity of my device enables the same to be readily and easilyassembled and it will at all times be positive and ellicient in itsoperation.

lVhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is tobe understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit oi theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith the hour shaft of a clock time mechanism, a small gear wheel havinga single tooth secured on the hour shaft for rotation therewith, alarger gear wheel having twenty-four teeth supported in the path ofmovement of the smaller gear wheel, a pair of normally spaced contactsmounted adjacent the larger gear wheel, and means carried by the largergear wheel for moving one of the contacts into engagement with the otherand holding the contacts in engagement with each other for apredetermined period.

2. In combination with the hour shaft of a clock time mechanism, a smallgear wheel having a single tooth secured on the hour shaft for rotationtherewith, a larger gear wheel having twenty-four teeth supported in thepath of movement of the smaller gear wheel, a pair of normally spacedcontacts mounted adjacent the larger gear wheel, and means carried bythe larger gear wheel for moving one of the contacts into engagementwith the other and holding the contacts in engagement with each otherfor a predetcrmined period, said last mentioned means including a camformed on one face of the larger gear wheel, said cam being of apredetermined size.

3. In combination with the hour shaft of a clock, a small gear wheelhaving a single tooth secured on the hour shaft for rotation therewith,a larger rotatable gear wheel having twenty-four teeth, means forsupporting the larger gear wheel with its teeth disposed in the path ofmovement of the single tooth on the smaller gear wheel, an insulatedblock, a stationary contact member secured on the insulated block, amovable contact member also secured 011 the insulated block and normallyheld out of engagement with the stationary contact member, binding postsassociated with the respective contact members and means on the largergear wheel for moving and holding the movable contact member toengagement with the stationary contact member for a predeterminedperiod, said last mentioned means including a semi-circular cam formedon the side face of the larger gear wheel, the movable contact memberbeing disposed within the path of movement of said semi ciroular cam.

41-. In combination with the hour shaft of a clock, a single toothedgear wheel secured on the hour shaft for rotation therewith, a largw errotatable gear Wheel having twenty-four teeth supported in the path ofmovement of the single toothed gear wheel to be driven thereby, aninsulated block, stationary and movable contact members secured on theblock, an upstanding angularly disposed finger formed on the stationarycontact memher a spring arm on the movable contact member, the free endthereof terminating in an offset finger and normally disposed out ofcontact with the first mentioned finger, binding posts for the contactmembers, and an arcuate cam arranged on one face of the larger gearwheel cooperating with said spring arm to move and hold the finger ofsaid movable contact into engagement with the finger of the stationarycontact for a predetermined period.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature.

VICTOR GONZALEZ.

